Graham Holmberg: On Pushups

The Champ Practiced 'Hand-release' Method Before the Games

A small change can take a simple movement from run-of-the-mill to hard as hell. Especially if it's introduced to exhausted athletes in a high stress situation and enforced by thousands of screaming fans. The most proficient athletes can adapt to any situation to complete the required task. Graham Holmberg demonstrated this ability to adapt, but he also had some help from lady luck.

In this short interview with Sevan Matossian the champ talks about good programming that worked in his favor, and why it pays to be creative. "It's kind of crazy, the workouts I was doing before the Games... I had pushups in there a ton," Graham says, speaking from CrossFit Columbus. "I was doing clapping pushups, ring pushups, max sets... I was always doing pushups in my skill work and in my WODs."

He also experimented with the hand release technique that was required of all the athletes at the Games, to which he credits some of his success in the final. "I'll tell you what. As bad as I did with them, I can't imagine how I would have done if I didn't actually work 'em."

When he returned from Carson Graham did what a good coach should. He took a movement that he disliked and introduced it to his clients.